Pages

Labels

Sunday, 15 February 2015

Reportage: Work begins on primary building

Work has begun on a new primary school building to create Calderdale’s first through-school at Halifax Academy.

The official ground-breaking ceremony took place this week and keys to the site were handed over to contractors.

Lesley Bowyer, head teacher of the primary school, said: “We’re here for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new school - it’s a really important milestone for our school and the local community.

“The first cohort of students have reacted very well to being the first primary class in the school, and the secondary students have been very welcoming. They’re excited to have primary students here as well.

“The young students who were four-years-old when they started accept that it is a very special event and take pride in their school.”

The current reception class will move through the school until its students complete their final exams in 2026.

“The project has been a great success when you consider that there was strong opposition to the establishment of a new school here.

“There were all these objections because of the heritage of the site - what we’ve got now is that the site is still here, it’s still got its historical perspective and you’ve got a well-established, successful secondary school.

“And now we’ve got a primary school being added to this, so it’s a win, win, win.”

Chris Duignan, project manager of the construction, said: “There will be a two-storey primary school with a sports hall, playground and fencing to keep the key stages separate.”

The school is due to be completed in December with the school opening to pupils in January 2016.